


from which we descended

by lilyminji



Series: strange times, dark days [1]
Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Everyone Needs A Hug, Evie Has Magic (Disney), F/F, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Isle of the Lost (Disney) is a Terrible Place, M/M, Mind Manipulation, Post-Descendants 3, Protective Uma (Disney), Self-Hatred, United States of Auradon (Disney) Is Not Perfect, because Audrey definitely didn't steal the crown and scepter all by herself, taking down the barrier was a terrible idea
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-05
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-09-27 06:55:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20403526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilyminji/pseuds/lilyminji
Summary: Sometimes not everyone can be saved. Not everyone could regain the light they all once had, and the vile and the vicious, the sinister and the malevolent, only dives deeper into their madness. Like their parents.- or Auradon ceased to be a little bit of paradise when they broke the barrier down.





	1. way down we go

Uma’s perched behind the counter bars of the Chip Shop as she usually is, only this time, her attention is solely on the barely functioning television above her. The children of the Isle of the Lost were focused on it too, jaws clenched as they waited for the proclamation that will eventually trap them in forever. Not that all of them knew, Uma wasn’t sure how she’d break it to them so she opted to wait for the actual proclamation.

And so here they are.

Uma's not sure what in the name of Hades made her nod and agree with Mal, what made her accept their fate of forever living in a prison but perhaps they had been too caught up with the so-called goodness of Auradon. Of course Uma volunteered herself to be back on the Isle, unwilling to leave the children behind without someone to turn to, and of course, Harry and Gil followed (_ they’d follow her to ends of the earth, we ride with the tide and all that jazz– only the tide was their captain _). 

But she was allowed to regret her choices, and seeing the deranged look on Harry’s eyes that gets even darker every day, the shaky smile on Gil’s face every time she catches him during his daydreams, dreaming of the world outside, the what-could-have-beens a slight buzz at the back of their minds because they’ve tasted something wonderful and they’d forever long for it but they’d forever never have it – Uma regrets it every time. 

(_ The children of the isle are probably capable of defending themselves – but they were children nonetheless, always at the mercy of villains, be it their parents or a different villain._

_Go back to the isle. _)

So they went back and stayed despite themselves. Uma, Celia, Harry, and Gil.

They’re the only ones but Uma knew some of the others hesitated, saw Carlos’ fingers twitching as he listened to them, watched Jay’s jaws clenching as he schooled his expression to something more neutral, noticed Evie’s darting eyes as she pursed her lips into a thin line. Perhaps it was fear of their parents that made them silent, or maybe it was their unwavering loyalty to Mal that left them rooted to the spot. 

And maybe Uma resents them a little bit for that but she also understands. 

She understands that Ursula may be far from being a saint but she looks like one standing beside Cruella with her insanity and Carlos with barely hidden bruises and burns from where leather fails to shield his skin, anxiety pumping in his veins, evident in his wild eyes after every flinch and jump. Ursula was good as compared to Jafar with his greed and Jay with his quick reflexes, faster than any of them ever could, perhaps from years of practice yet there still mars an occasional bruise under his eyes. And she was better than Grimhilde with her subtle cruelty and Evie with her shaking, bleeding hands as she grows even smaller every day, far skinnier than the worst of them, shoulders slumped and defeated when she thinks nobody is looking. 

And maybe Uma understands too well that Mal is their family, that they would go through hell and back for each other despite the hurt between them, just as how she would for Harry and Gil.

(_ She also knows she shouldn’t understand, much more care but damn she does. Because even if they’re on different sides in a battle, they’re always allies in a war. _)

But look what her understanding got her. 

“We’re all capable of good and bad,” Mal’s voice speaks through the television in static and Uma snaps her attention back to it, back to the daughter of Maleficent, clad in purple, dress made of mini dragon scales, King Ben at her side, all smiles and proud, “…no matter which side of the barrier we come from.”

Uma couldn’t help herself but scoff. Sure everyone was capable of both, but she’s also learned that sometimes not everyone can be saved. Not everyone could regain the light they all once had, and the vile and the vicious, the sinister and the malevolent, only dives deeper into their madness. Like their parents.

“And that’s why I can’t be Queen of just Auradon,” Mal starts again, turning to look at Ben, “I have to be Queen of the Isle too.”

Collective gasps and sharp intakes of breath could be heard all around her and Uma tries to ignore them, eyes narrowing at the projected image and the words she’s hearing. 

(_ Queen of the Isle when she’s the first to condemn them a lifetime of imprisonment on the godforsaken– _)

“And it’s time that we take the barrier down forever.”

Silence.

Thudding hearts, minds racing, a second or two of holding their breaths before everything said and done sinks in into her and where her eyes were narrowed seconds ago, now it was wide-eyed with shock, confusion, and then, horror.

_What?!_

Harry steadies her as she stumbles, squeezing her shoulders a bit.

_She wants to fucking what?!_

“We can’t do that,” Former King Adam interjects, his reaction immediate and warranted.

Uma almost wants to thank him because as much as she wants a way out of the Isle, the barrier existed for a reason. They wanted an out, but what was the point if the parents they wanted freedom from could roam around and drag them back under their clutches anyway? 

“It’s up to us, Dad,” Ben counters, a stupid smile on his face and gods does Uma want to bang her head on the counter, maybe she’d hit herself hard enough to pass out and sleep away the headache that’s starting to build every moment that passes.

“I choose to be a king that moves forward,” Ben speaks with clenched fists, as if it emphasizes his point, “It’s time for forgiveness. It’s time for new beginnings.”

Uma watches rigidly, a multitude of plans already forming in her head. Because no way in hell would this go well.

“The barrier will come down!”

Gods help them all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Due to my intense disbelief of how they ended Descendants 3 and with my friend and I binge-watching the whole movie series yesterday despite having exams, I had a whole dream about this and so this fic was born even though I've been holding back from writing about them since Descendants 1 because sjsjsj this fandom is gonna be the death of me.


	2. the system only dreams in darkness

“I thought you wanted the barrier down?!”

Ben swallowed as he watched the almost screaming match between Mal and Uma in the king's study, the latter having stormed into the palace as soon as she stepped foot into Auradon, Gil and Harry flanking her side. 

“And I’m saying I want you to put it back up right now!” Uma hisses, eyes determined and, if Ben wasn’t seeing things, he could swear he saw barely hidden anxiety lingering in them.

Mal visibly shook, her flashing green eyes getting darker and Ben grasps her arm lightly but it doesn’t help her calm down and only seemed to enrage her even more as she yanked her arm free from Ben’s hold and fixed him a stern glare. Ben tried to quell the bitter feeling that’s rising up to settle in his guts, in his heart, in his mind. 

(_ A king is patient, a king is kind. A king is reasonable, a king keeps an open mind. _)

“And what about the kids on the isle?”

“Oh so now you care?” Uma mock laughs as she rolls her eyes, “Wonderful character development your majesty but in case you’ve forgotten, actual villains live on the isle too!”

Mal snarls at that, about to lunge forward but Ben pulls her back, not missing the subtle clenching of Harry’s hand as he grips his fake hook and Gil’s shoulders tensing despite the bright smile on his face.

“What now, Ben?!” Mal exclaims, turning around sharply to look at him with narrowed eyes.

Ben fought to keep his voice steady and calm. He tried to appear as understanding as he could before he says what he’s about to say because, despite the announced end of bad blood between Uma and Mal, either party is still very sensitive about being second to the other in any other situation. 

“Maybe Uma is right–” Ben takes Mal’s hands as she starts to protest, sharp glare thrown his way but he continues, “Mal what about Jafar, Cruella and the Evil Queen?”

Mal instantly recoiled. Her gaze settled outside the windows from where the road to Evie’s starter castle could be seen, then to the dorms from where Jay and Carlos still stayed in, eyes now filled with guilt. Ben could feel it himself, having been too caught up again with things and this time his idealism.

“They… they said they wanted to give their parents a chance,” Mal replied, voice now barely a whisper.

“Bullshit!” Uma huffs, hands crossed against her chest as she leans back a bit, shaking her head in, incredulous, “You know that’s bullshit. We may have not gotten along on the isle but I’m not fucking blind. Let’s not pretend that the reason the other kids avoided messing with the four of you was not because they were terrified of your parents.”

Ben didn't miss the way Mal flinched and it made him wonder. Wonder how much more he didn't know about Mal and Evie and Jay and Carlos. Wonder how much worse it could be than the bits of experience he had on the isle. Wonder about the little things he noticed but have yet to voice out. About Jay's over vigilance, always watching over his friends as if expecting something to happen and always putting himself between if something does. About Carlos' obvious anxiety, still jumping at sudden noises, fear flickering in his eyes for a brief moment before he shakes it off with a brief smile. About Evie's self-consciousness, a subtle wince in every small mistake she makes, always steering clear of conversations that focus on herself. About Mal's rough exterior, all sharp edges and witty remarks, constantly shying away from moments that make her vulnerable.

"I don't need a fucking reminder," Mal hisses.

Uma steps closer, leveling her eyes with Mal's, gaze steely and perhaps a bit furious that Ben was afraid they'd resort into another fight any second but they stayed still.

"Well maybe you should," Uma spat, "Be reminded that is. Because for all your talk of being the queen of the isle, you sure aren't looking out for its people."

The silence that came after was defeaning and the light stabs of guilt Ben feels inside digs deeper, spreading throughout his being, becoming more real and more noticeable.

Uma shakes her head, quiet disappointment apparent in her face before she backs off and rejoins Harry and Gil and they all start to stalk out of the room. 

"I guess I shouldn't have expected that much from both of you," Uma said as she paused by the doorway, her back already turned from them, "Afterall, you've always only thought of yourselves all this time."

Ben watched them go with a heavy heart, indecision weighing on his shoulders and he clenches his fist in frustration.

( _ A king is determined, a king is unquestionable, a king is sure. _)

"Ben," Mal starts, her voice heavy with emotions he can't decipher and he looks at her.

Really looks at her because after the whole fiasco with Audrey, when all the highs from the newest proclamation have been said and done, nothing has ever really changed.

Nothing changed and it's both a good thing and a bad thing, Mal is still looking at him with adoration in her eyes. Mal still believes in whatever they have. But she never really starts looking at him more than that. More than how she looks at her family.

"Do you want to bring it back up?" Ben asks, unable to ignore the elephant in the room that Uma left behind.

It takes only half a second before Mal finally breaks, her expression twisting into fury, not at him he knows, and she tangles her fingers through her hair, tugging at them in frustration.

"What the fuck was I thinking?" Mal whispers, softly at first before her eyes flash green and she pulls on her hair again, voice raising, "What the actual fuck was I thinking?!"

Ben had no answer to that. He didn't know what he was thinking either. He doesn't know what he's supposed to be thinking now.

( _ Kings could be cruel, kings could be bad. They can be tyrannical and sly as a fox but a king should never be stupid, oblivious, people-pleasing- _)

The doors were slammed open for the second time, Fairy Godmother entering with the former king and queen in tow, faces grim and sullen. Ben immediately composes himself, Mal only hardening her gaze as it fixed on them.

"We bear terrible news, Your Highness," Fairy Godmother starts, the wand out and gripped firmly in her hand.

He looks at his parents, Adam with anger simmering beneath his hard clenched jaw and Belle with apology and sadness in her eyes and instantly, shame and guilt flood him despite not hearing the news yet.

"What's wrong, Fairy Godmother?" He asks, his voice filled with trepidation, heart drowning in dread.

The old fairy meets his gaze, tragedy evident in her eyes.

"A student is dead."

* * *

Audrey wakes up with a start, the taste of bitter ash left by the magic in her dreams still dancing in her tongue, images of when she whispered Auradon to sleep as clear as to when it happened for every time she closes her eyelids.

[ _ Make them suffer. Make them suffer. Make them suffer. Kill them- _]

She shakes her head and immediately regrets it, a throbbing headache paralyzing her for a few seconds and memories of bewitching voices fade.

"Hey, did you forget we have a meet-up with Ben and the VKs today?" Lonnie's voice breaks her trance, the girl already dressed up and looks like she was about to wake Audrey herself seconds ago.

"They can wait," Audrey shrugs, trying to keep the tremor off her voice, heart still beating fast.

Lonnie stares at her, the kind that pierces your soul and sees through your facade as if it was transparent this whole time, her lips pursed into a thin line. Her message was clear. They didn't lie to each other, no matter how much they disagree on certain things. But Lonnie couldn't possibly get it, she wasn't there, she didn't taste the magic that slithers deep into the bones of anyone who plays with it.

"I don't blame you, you know," Lonnie says with a tight smile though her eyes were kind. Now, after everything she did, sometimes Audrey wonders if she deserves Lonnie's friendship.

"I'm good, Lonnie. Seriously, I—"

"Are you really?" Lonnie interrupts and Audrey sends a sharp look but the other girl continues anyways, "Because I can tell that you're still thinking about it. You haven't even complained about your obvious lack of sleep and we both know that's one of the things you're particular about."

Audrey opts for the other option when dealing with the other girl. Staying silent. Which, only actually proves Lonnie's point because Audrey was okay when she's complaining. Audrey was fine when she's having a hissy fit and she was good when she's screaming her friends' ears off but she's never fine when she's not saying a word.

"The isle kids doesn't blame you either, you know that right?" 

Audrey gives Lonnie a tight smile of her own, if only to make the other girl stop. It didn't make her feel better but it did ease her heart a bit, but it also made her feel a different set of guilt.

Guilt because right now, the people of Auradon are silently condemning her, judging her. Auradon is turning her back on her in a different way, much like how she turned her back on the kids from the isle when they needed her help and how she refused to see them as more than villains. It made her grimace every time she looks at any of the villain kids but it was also freeing in a way, being able to step into their shoes, even if it's not even half of what they could have been through.

Audrey breathes heavily, closing her eyes for a moment before composing herself enough to actually get out from her bed and start preparing. Lonnie gives her an encouraging smile.

"Give me about an hour or so," Audrey huffs as she walked inside the bathroom and slammed the door shut.

She tried not to laugh as she heard Lonnie's groans and complaints outside.

When Audrey and Lonnie arrived at Evie's where they all decided to meet up, everyone was already there, sitting on the long table silently as they all occupied themselves with something, the tension thick in the air. Lonnie immediately beat her to the seat between Doug and Jane, not wanting to get stuck between Evie and Uma who both sat directly in front of Mal. If Audrey thought the room was thick with tension, well, it was practically suffocating over there. 

As soon as she sat down, she couldn't help but frown before scanning everyone. Jay and Carlos were too busy pretending to be occupied in a game, Lonnie, Doug, Jane, and Chad now involved in a small hushed talk. Aside from them, the others are as silent as the grave, Mal and Uma giving each other heated glares that Audrey was afraid they'd set the place on fire. Ben, on the other hand, is silently rubbing his forehead and temple, a sign that he was frustrated and nervous. 

Audrey leans forward, about to ask what the mini-meeting was all about but with the small space between each person's seat, she accidentally bumps her right shoulder on Evie's. 

The small hiss of pain was only audible to Audrey but Evie's sudden jerk caught everyone's attention, cutting through the room's silence as her chair scraped across the floor and effectively stopping Mal and Uma's glaring competition. 

"What's wrong?" Mal immediately asks, looking the most worried Audrey has ever seen, a look that she'd only seen Mal give to Jay, Carlos and Evie.

Evie meets Audrey's eyes for a second, too quick to catch if you weren't looking straight at her and as close as Audrey was but it was there, a quiet plea.

"Sorry," Audrey finally mutters, "It was my bad."

Mal stared at her, urging her to elaborate but Evie assured the purple-haired girl with a smile. Mal relented and Evie took it as a chance to change the topic. Perhaps too eagerly, Audrey thinks.

"So what are we all here for?" Evie asks and Ben starts to clear his throat.

He sits up straight, an uneasy expression painted on his face, fists clenched and placed against the table. A beat and some before he takes a deep breath and finally talks.

"Last night an isle kid died."

Audrey's never heard a silence quite so loud and for a split second, that's how it was there. The air has been knocked off of them, everyone deathly silent again, stone still and devoid of any reactions as though they haven't heard a thing. For a short moment, Audrey ceased to be in the room and she was in that dark place inside her head again, thick pink smog suffocating her, hisses and whispers inside her head, eerie giggles, and cackles of something twisted and vile and her screams turning into vicious words and sleeping spells.

[ _ Take and take and take and take and take, kill them kill them- _]

Back in the room, it's chaos.

"This was what I meant! Breaking the barrier was what our parents wanted for a goddamn reason! But no! You were too busy playing docile queen-"

"Uma!" Ben exclaims as he tries to play peacemaker, gripping Uma's shoulder to keep her from lunging towards Mal but the sea witch aggressively shook his hand off.

"Don't," Uma hisses, her whole body shaking in anger, "Don't even fucking talk, _ your highness _."

Mal at least had the decency to look ashamed, standing up as she now looks at Uma with an unspoken apology, "Uma, I'm sorry."

The daughter of Ursula only screams in frustration before turning around, fingers hooking through the handles of the chair, lifts it and throws it against the walls of Evie's home. Nobody stops her, all feeling the dread and loss even if they didn't know the life they lost and when Uma starts to furiously stride out of there, nobody stops her. Except for Evie, manicured hands curled around the sea witch's wrist, brows furrowed, eyes closed and when she opens it, Audrey could see the raging conflict inside them. Anger and pain and sadness and fear, all at once at the same time and Audrey realized she could feel it too.

[ _ Listen, little girl. Heed me, little girl. Bow to me, little girl. _]

"And what have you decided then?" Evie asks, voice monotone, eyes everywhere but on anyone's yet her question was clear. 

Ben appears smaller in his seat as if waiting for it to come to life and swallow him. Besides him, Mal stares at the table intently, as if urging it to disintegrate. 

"Ben?" Carlos speaks up when the king takes a moment longer to answer. They're all leaning closer to the table, eager to hear some kind of plan or reprieve, even Uma turning back to face them.

Audrey hears it before Ben could say it.

"We're closing the barrier again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- I don't know what possessed me to start this when I know this month I have semifinals and sports fest but like- yes. Hmm any thoughts? I think Audrey's Queen of Mean gives us a lot to explore to. And well, everyone has a part to play.


End file.
